Bordeaux 2012

At this time of year usually it is ‘the waiting game’. The world wine press and buyers have been and gone. Tasted the baby wine scarcely 6 months of age and reported their findings (except Parker of course). Yet this year 2012 prices have started to come out early and are, so far, what was hoped and … Continue reading →

A record number of people were received this week despite the April rain showers at the annual primeur tasting in Pessac-Léognan hosted by Château Olivier, one of Bordeaux’s most historic properties dating back to the 14th century. Pessac Léognan was claimed by many to be one of the most successful appellations in 2012 foe both its … Continue reading →

Elegant classic Bordeaux wines with velvety purity were made this year by those winemakers with sensitive insight. The top wines were Merlot dominated (as this variety was able to ripen before the rains) with the top appellations being St Emilion, Pomerol, Pessac-Léognan (red and whites) and some of Margaux. Those in touch with their vines, with nature, who got out of … Continue reading →

The networks are already filled with views about #bdx12 and the official week has not yet started. Bordeaux is already beginning to fill with the foreign faces of the world wine trade, the early birds to taste the baby vintage 2012, already prodded and poked with barely six months of age. Criticised but surprisingly not yet … Continue reading →

The ‘en primeur week’ black teeth week is nearly upon us when the world’s wine trade and press (around 3000 people) arrive to taste and judge the new baby vintage. This traditional system of selling wines (initially developed to finance the expensive oak barrels) is criticised for being too early and unrepresentative of the finished wine. … Continue reading →

standing to lose 25 million euro but can afford it being owned by the groupe LVMH. What about the smaller producers who cannot afford to foresake a vintage? Harvesting late they got the worst of the rainy weather. AFP article below. Visited Sauternes at the beginning of November and took these photos at Yquem. 15 … Continue reading →

Early unfavourable conditions for the vine which encouraged disease and above all disrupted the flowering, were caught up with exceptionally sunny and dry August and September enabling canny producers to harvest healthy grapes before the deluge of rain towards end October. (Based on a report issued by Euralis experts) Disturbed Flowering The first half of the vine’s … Continue reading →

The legendary sweet wines of Bordeaux, produced by the magical noble rot, were heralded in the past as some of the world’s finest and longest living wines, enjoyed by the very rich. Today they can be bought at very fair prices. Due to the painstaking way they are made, their rarity, uniqueness and the fact … Continue reading →